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COME ON!!! The federal trial over BP’s Gulf of Mexico oil spill will wait a week while the company and plaintiffs continue settlement talks, the parties said in a joint statement. The trial was slated to start today in New Orleans.

The parties are reportedly discussing a $14 billion deal that would require BP to take the remainder of the fund it set up for spill-related claims and put it toward a settlement. Sources tell Bloomberg the discussions are nearing completion: http://bloom.bg/A7YiR0.

AND THAT’S WHY YOU ALWAYS TAP THE SPR… With gas prices potentially reaching record highs this election year and Republicans sounding off on President Obama’s energy record, liberals want the White House to unleash the Strategic Petroleum Reserve now, before it's too late. Darren Goode has the story, which Pros can find at the bottom of this very email: http://politico.pro/wXMrW7.

WELCOME TO MONDAY’s Morning Energy. And now the story of a successful newsletter that lost everything, and the one morning host who had no choice but to keep it together. That’s right, it’s “Arrested Development” week for ME, so send 100 words on why your favorite Bluth (or Fünke) is the best — along with your best energy news — to preis@politico.com. Entries making ME laugh will get some love in tomorrow’s edition.

ALWAYS MONEY IN THE BANANA STAND — Rick Santorum's old friends in the energy industry aren't ponying up for his presidential bid, and many are sending their money to his rivals. POLITICO’s Abby Phillip teams with Samuelsohn for the story: http://politico.pro/xyisbi

CALL BARRY ZUCKERKORN-- Climate change will get a few days in court this week, as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit hears oral arguments Tuesday and Wednesday in a complicated consolidated case over the EPA’s regulation of greenhouse gas emissions. While the Supreme Court said in 2007 in Massachusetts v. EPA that the agency can regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act, this week the appeals court faces the whether and how of the matter. Beyond that, the court will look to the climate rule for light-duty cars and trucks and the “tailoring” rule, in which the agency interpreted when it must issue climate regulations for stationary sources.

NEWT GINGRICH has one answer to Obama’s proposal to develop more energy-efficient cars and alternative fuels: Drill. Increased drilling on federal lands and in the Gulf of Mexico is the only way to lower gas prices in the short term, Gingrich said in remarks cast as a response to Obama’s speech on energy earlier this week. POLITICO’s Ginger Gibson tracked Gingrich during his weekend West Coast swing: http://politi.co/wrx0KA.

OBAMA, MEANWHILE, confronted Americans’ concerns about rising gas prices, saying that while there’s “no silver bullet” to lower prices, his administration is pursuing an “all of the above” strategy on energy. POLITICO: http://politi.co/yhYJUP.

SHIFTING GROUND — The battered Little Big Man of this year's farm bill wars could be the soil itself. Or to hear environmentalists tell it: The landmark 1985 treaty to curb erosion is, well, eroding. That's the thrust of a report out Monday from the Environmental Working Group that warns early progress reducing soil erosion has stalled, and in some states like Iowa, losses have even increased — all in a time of record farm income. POLITICO’s David Rogers has the story: http://politi.co/A8Yl5q.

EPA ADMINISTRATOR LISA JACKSON is on the Hill this week to defend her agency’s 2013 budget request, starting Tuesday with an appearance before the House Energy and Commerce Committee (10 a.m., 2123 Rayburn) and continuing Wednesday with a visit to the House Appropriations’ environment panel (1 p.m., 2359 Rayburn).

ENERGY SECRETARY STEVEN CHU goes before the House Science panel Thursday to defend his department’s 2013 budget request. Things could get testy, as the budget requests additional funding for programs Republicans have been blasting for years. 9:30 a.m., 2318 Rayburn.

INTERIOR SECRETARY KEN SALAZAR is also headed for the Hill this week to talk budget numbers for his department, appearing Tuesday before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources committee (10 a.m., 366 Dirksen) and Wednesday before the Senate Appropriations’s environment panel (9:30 a.m., 124 Dirksen).

** A message from America’s Natural Gas Alliance: The weather in Miami isn't the only thing that's hot — natural gas vehicles are too! President Obama's announcement of a $30 million ARPA-E program to bring about faster commercialization of natural gas vehicles can put this abundant and clean resource to greater use. http://bit.ly/zDbF6v **

SOME MEDIUM TO HEAVY TREASON — An FBI spokesman says that the bureau’s discussions with the Heartland Institute over the theft of stolen climate documents remain in a very early stage, but the spokesman stressed it cannot be called an investigation. “We cannot conduct a criminal investigation unless there is a clear allegation that a federal criminal statute has been violated,” Ross Rice, an FBI agent and spokesman from the Chicago field office, said via email. “Based on what we know so far, there is no evidence that has occurred.” Samuelsohn tracked the FBI action Friday: http://politico.pro/w5j8FJ.

I’VE MADE A HUGE MISTAKE — Peter Gleick’s career isn’t over despite the big scar linked to his duping the Heartland Institute, says Kevin Trenberth, an atmospheric scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo. "I think this pushes Peter in the direction of getting even more involved on the side of being an advocate," Trenberth told ME on Friday. "He's had a strong science background, especially related to water. I don't see this as the end of the road for Peter by any means."

THIS WEEK IN THE SENATE
Tuesday — The full Agriculture Committee meets to work on ways to strengthen conservation provisions in the 2012 farm bill, part of the panel’s series of hearings on the massive measure. Farm Service Agency Administrator Bruce Nelson is slated to testify. 10 a.m., 216 Hart.

Tuesday — Environment and Public Works looks to get views from local governments on water infrastructure development. 10 a.m., 206 Dirksen.

Thursday — Senate Commerce drops the hammer on the Seaward with a hearing to review whether current regulations on the cruise ship industry are protecting passengers and the environment. 10 a.m., 253 Russell.

THIS WEEK IN THE [model] HOUSE
Today — A Natural Resources panel convenes in Ohio for a field hearing to tout the potential of natural gas. 9 a.m., Steubenville.

Today — A Judiciary panel takes another swing at regulations with a hearing on a bill, H.R. 4078, that would prohibit any agency from taking a significant regulatory action until the unemployment rate hits 6 percent. 4 p.m., 2141 Rayburn.

Tuesday — Judiciary meets to mark up legislation, H.R. 511, that would ban the importation of various species of large, invasive snakes. 10 a.m., 2141 Rayburn.

Tuesday — A Natural Resources panel reviews the budget for the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management. 10 a.m., 1324 Longworth.

Tuesday — Transportation and Infrastructure also takes a look at local perspectives on water infrastructure development. 10 a.m., 2167 Rayburn.

Tuesday — Rules meets to prepare a House floor policy for a bill aimed at protecting agricultural water diversions from California’s San Joaquin watershed. The diversions have been checked by Endangered Species Act protections requiring higher levels of water to be left in the river. 3 p.m., H-313 Capitol.

TWO-MINUTE DRILL
-- A second New York state judge has upheld a local drilling ban, the latest round in an ongoing struggle over local vs. state authority to regulate natural gas development. New York Times: http://nyti.ms/wOYAXT.

-- Alaska’s North Slope could become one of the nation’s top regions for shale oil and shale natural gas, based on newly announced estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey. Talia Buford has the story for Pros: http://politico.pro/yeDqOy.

-- Bark beetle infestations are driving mass die-offs in western forests in the U.S. and Canada, and a new book says that global warming is making the forests a more hospitable place for beetles. LA Times: http://lat.ms/y6VDsQ.

-- Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner’s bill requiring the EPA to do more analysis of E15 ethanol would cost about $1 million, slightly more than the $900,000 the bill calls on EPA to spend, according to the Congressional Budget Office: http://1.usa.gov/wIHhUw.

-- Donald Trump says he’s planning to drop more than $15 million to fight a planned wind farm offshore from his complex of holiday homes, hotels and golf courses in Scotland. London Independent: http://ind.pn/xKvQie.

-- The country is facing a $1 trillion tab over the next quarter century to restore and expand drinking water systems, costs that could triple the size of an average water bill, according to a report to be released this morning from the American Water Works Association: http://www.awwa.org/.

CHATTER BOX
-- Sen. John Thune accuses Obama for taking credit for a boom in energy production that the president’s policies are putting in jeopardy. POLITICO: http://politi.co/z7w5Gb.

-- The Koch brothers say an Obama campaign letter is “personally maligning” them with a personal attack that is part of “an effort to chill free speech and squelch dissent.” POLITICO: http://politi.co/y0atun.

-- Rep. Joe Barton says the Solyndra probe could lead to criminal indictments of company officials. NewsMax: http://bit.ly/w3wS7M.

-- Columnist George Will says hammering on gas prices by Newt Gingrich and other Republicans is “economic nonsense” and suggests they aim their criticism instead at the Federal Reserve for “promiscuously printing dollars.” Daily Caller: http://thedc.com/xVQ5GZ.

-- Columnist Thomas Friedman entertains the idea that the U.S. — as its energy production booms — should join OPEC, while also calling on the oil and gas industry to set its own high environmental standards for fracking. New York Times: http://nyti.ms/wI2Kgf.

-- The U.S. shipping industry says the Obama administration is legally obligated to give preference to domestic vessels if it decides to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve: http://politico.pro/xUcCDR.

THAT’S ALL FOR ME, but don’t forget your 100 words in defense of your favorite Bluth (or Fünke). And now to flip the script: http://bit.ly/twWWGw.

** A message from America’s Natural Gas Alliance: Vast domestic discoveries of natural gas and proven technologies that allow us to access them efficiently and responsibly are creating jobs and providing cleaner, affordable energy to all Americans. This year, the average U.S. household will see a nearly $1,000 increase in disposable income thanks to America’s vast supplies of natural gas. This abundance also is making U.S. companies and American workers more competitive — creating more than 1 million U.S. manufacturing jobs by 2025. With vigilant state-led oversight and a strong commitment from natural gas producers, safe and responsible development is taking place every day across our country. Thanks to natural gas, we don’t have to choose between our economic, environmental and energy security interests. Clean. Abundant. Ours. America’s natural gas is smarter power today. Learn more at www.anga.us. Follow us on Twitter @angaus. Questions about disclosure? Please visit www.fracfocus.org. **